Current tap



Feb. 2 1926. l

R. B. BENJAMIN CURRENT TAP Filed Jan. 12. 1922 2 heets-Sheet 1 R. B. BENJAMIN Feb. 2 192s. 1,571,696

CURRENT TAP Filed Jan. 12, 1922 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAG INOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC 0, ILLINOIS, A CQRPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

connnn'r TAP.

Application filed January 12, 1922. Serial No. 528,670.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RnUnnN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cl'iicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful 11nprovements in Current Taps, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to current taps.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved current tap which will be durable and eflicientin use, simple in construction, easy to assemble and cheap to manufacture.

Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow and from the appended claims.

In the drawings in which an embodiment of my invention is shown- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a current tap Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

F ig. 4 is a bottom view of the current tap;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a threaded shell contact with a blade-engaging contact mounted thereon;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the insulating disc, center contact with the bladeengaging contact associated therewith;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an annular contact member; and

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the insulating plug base.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the current tag shown therein comprises a plug portion 10 for insertion into receptacle of the screw shell type, a receptacle portion 11 having contacts of the screw shell type, and an intermediate receptacle portion 13 having blade-engaging contacts 14 and 15.

The plug portion 1.0 comprises an insulating base 16, a center contact member 17 supported by the insulating base 16, and a threaded swivel shell contact 18 swiveled about the insulating base 16.

The receptacle portion 11 comprises a cen ter contact member 19, a threaded shell contact member 20, mounted on an insulating base 21 intermediate the insulating base 16 and the threaded shell contact 20. The receptacle portion 13 comprises in addition to the blade-engaging contacts 14 and re ferred to, an insulating cover member 22 having entrance openings 23 and 24 affording access to the blade-engaging contacts 14 and 15.

The threaded shell receptacle contact is electrically connected with the threaded shell plug contact 18 by means of an annular contact member 25 (Fig. 7 and a pair of screws 26 and 27, the heads of which are seated in countersunk depressions 28 in the conductor member 25. The lower ends of these screws 26 and 27 are threaded into a yoke-shaped stamping 29, which stamping bears against the inwardly extending flange portion 30 (Figs. 2 and 4) of the receptacle shell contact 20.

The screw 26 extends through aligned openings in the insulating bases 21 and 22. This screw 26 thus serves not only to assist in electrically connecting the receptacle contact 20 with the plug contact 18, but also holds the insulating cover 22 in place and assists in holding the threaded shell contact 20 in place on the insulating base 21.

The center contact member 17 may be formed as the head of a screw 81, the lower end of which is threaded into a tubular metallic member 32, the center contact member 19 being formed as a part of this tubular metallic member 32. The shank of the screw 31 thus serves to electrically connect the center contact members 17 and 19, and aswill be set forth more in detail hereinafter, it also serves to hold together the plug portion and the receptacle portions.

The blade-engaging contacts 14 and 15 are electrically connected with the receptacle contacts 20 and 19 respectively. As shown in Fig. 5, the blade-engaging contact 14 is secured to a lug 33 struck up from the flange portion 30 of the receptacle contact 20. As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, the blade-engaging contact 15 is electrically connected with the center contact member 19 by means of an L-shaped stamping 34. One leg of this L-shaped stamping has a hole through which the tubular member 32 extends, the enlarged lower portion of the tubular member 32 forming a shoulder which bears against the stamping to hold it in place. The blade-engaging contact 15 is secured to the other leg of the stamping 8 1 in any suitable manner as by means of a rivet or eyelet 35.

An insulating cushioning disc 36 may be provided between the flange of the contact 20 and the insulating base 21, this disc 86 also serving as a cushioning means between the stamping 841 and the insulating base 21.

In order to definitely position the insulating base 16 with respect to the insulating base 21, it is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed recesses 87, into which extend upwardly extending lugs 38 on the annular contact member 25 (Figs. 2 and 7).

In order to facilitate the screwing in of the plug shell contact 18, and in order to enable the receptacle portion to be positioned as desired after the plug shell contact has been screwed home, I provide a spring frictional engagement between the receptacle portion and the threaded shell contact 18, by providing the annular conductor member 25 with oppositely disposed raised portions 89, which trictionally engage the lower portion of the plug shell contact 18, which as shown in Fig. 2 is flanged over underneath the insulating thumbpiece 4:0. The raised portions 39 thus bear firmly against the lower end of the shell contact 18, the frictional engagement being sufficient to enable the receptacle portion to be used as a handle in screwing the shell contact 18 into the socket. After the shell contact 18 has been screwed home, the receptacle portion can be turned to bring the cover member 22 with its entrance openings 23 and 2 1 into any desired position which will be best for making the connection. The raised contact portions 39, because of their frietional engagement with the shell contact 18 insures good electrical contact.

A; one-piece sheet metal casing member 41 is provided for the receptacle portion, this casing being slipped onto the receptacle portion over the upper end thereof, and being held in place by the insulating cover portion 22, which is inserted through the opening 42 in the side of the casing, and which thus holds and positions the casing 41 on the insulating base 21.

As described above, the center contact member 19 is electrically connected with the center contact member 17 through the shank of the screw 31, and the shell contact 20 is electrically connected with the shell contact 18 through the screws 26 and 27, and the contact member 25. Also, as described ,above, the blade-engaging contact l lis electrically connected with the shell contact 20 by being riveted to the lug 38, while the blade-engaging contact 15 is electrically connectcd with the center contact member 19 by being riveted to the stamping 34:, which is engaged by the center contact 19. Thus,

both receptacle portions of the current tap are electrically connected with the plug contacts.

hile I have shown but one embodiment of my invention it is obvious that it may be embodied in other forms as covered and defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A current tap comprising a plug portion for insertion into a screw shell socket, a receptacle portion to receive a plug-in device of the screw shell type, and a receptacle portion to receive the contact blades of a cap member, said receptacle portions comprising an insulating base, a threaded shell receptacle contact mounted on said base, receptacle contacts for engaging contact blades, an insulating cover provided with openings atfording access to said blade-engaging contacts, said cover having a hole therethrough, and a screw extending through said hole and cooperating with said threaded shell contact to hold said threaded shell contact and insulating cover in place.

2. A current tap comprising a plug portion for insertion into a screw shell socket, a receptacle portion to receive a plug-in device of the screw shell type, and a receptacle portion to receive the contact blades of a cap member, said receptacle portions comprising an insulating base, a threaded shell receptacle contact mounted on said base, receptacle contacts for engaging contact blades, an insulating cover provided with openings affording access to said bladeengaging contacts, said cover having a hole therethrough, and a screw extending through said hole and cooperating with the threaded shell contact to hold said threaded shell contact in place and electrically connect it with a plug contact and to hold said insulating cover in place.

3. current tap comprising a plugportion ror insertion into a screw shell socket, a receptacle portion to receive a plug-in device of the screw shell type, and a receptacle portion to receive the contact blades of a cap member, said receptacle portions comprising an insulating base, a threaded shell receptacle contact mounted on said base, receptacle contacts for engaging contact blades, an insulating cover provided with openings affording access to said bladeengaging contacts, said cover having a hole therethrough, and a screw extending through said hole and cooperating with said threaded shell contact to hold said threaded shell contact and insulating cover in place, said cover having a portion extending between bladeengaging contacts.

4. A current tap comprising a plug portion for insertion into a screw shell socket, a receptacle portion to receive a plug-in device of the screw shell type, and a receptacle portion to receive the contact blades of a cap member, said receptacle portions compris ing an insulating base, a threaded shell receptacle contact mounted an said base, receptacle contacts for engaging contact blades, an insulating cover provided with openings affording access to said blade engaging contacts, said cover having a hole therethrough, and a screw extending through said hole and cooperating with said threaded shell contact to hold said threaded shell contact and insulating cover in place, and a cylindrical metal casing surrounding and housing said insulating base and thread ed shell contact, said casing having an opening in its side into which said insulating cover extends, whereby said cover positions said casing and holds it in place.

5. A current tap comprising a plug portion, a receptacle portion to receive a screw shell contact plug, and a receptacle portion to receive contact blades, said receptacle portions comprising a threaded shell contact having a flat lug formed integrally therewith, lying in a plane parallel to the axis of the shell contact, and a blade engaging contact having a fiat portion secured against said flat lug.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

